The Celebrated Altar of Lugdunum

Triton XVIII, Lot: 992. Estimate $1500. Sold for $3500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Augustus. 27 BC-AD 14. Æ Sestertius (37mm, 25.15 g, 12h). Lugdunum (Lyon) mint. Struck AD 10-14. CAESAR AVGVSTVS DIVI F PATER PATRIAE, laureate head right / ROM ET AVG in exergue, the Great Altar of Lugdunum: altar enclosure with panels decorated with corona civica flanked by figures holding laurel branches; decoration along roofline; altar flanked by columns surmounted by statues of Victory standing vis-à-vis, each holding palm frond in left hand over left shoulder and wreath in right hand. RIC I 231a; Martini, Augustus 1212-3; Lyon 95 (D– [unlisted obv. die]/R504); BMCRE 565; BN 1695-1706. VF, red patina, some tan and brassy highlights, minor roughness, smoothing and cleaning marks.

From the RAM Collection. Ex Numismatica Ars Classica E (4 April 1995), lot 2819.